Recently released on Blu-ray and DVD: Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes, Over the Limit, The Iceman Cometh and For a Few Dollars More.
Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes
In a great irony, just as Donald Trump was installed as the 2016 Republican candidate, GOP kingmaker Roger Ailes lost his throne. The founder-CEO of Fox News, the cable channel that steered the Republican Party rightward and sowed America with fear, is the subject of the fascinating documentary Divide and Conquer. Taken from Ailes’ own words and interviews with friends and associates, the media mogul emerges as a masterful image manipulator and a fearful man.
Over the Limit
Gymnasts at their highest level shares some skills with ballet dancers. It’s a physically, emotionally demanding sport. The ballet-gymnastics overlap is evident in Over the Limit. Marta Prus’ documentary trails Russian champion gymnast Margarita Mamun as she goes for Olympic gold. Mamun’s grueling training includes enduring the berating of coaches whose manner resembles U.S. Marine Corps drill instructors. Over the Limit shows Mamun whirling before cheering crowds as well as waiting lonely and nervous backstage.
The Iceman Cometh
Robert Ryan plays an anarchist lapsed into cynicism after fathoming the depths of human depravity in the 1973 American Film Theatre production of The Iceman Cometh. AFT’s mission was to film great plays, giving the audience perspectives that are lost in live theater. John Frankenheimer (The Manchurian Candidate) directs Eugene O’Neill’s classic. The raft of Hollywood stars (veterans Fredric March and Lee Marvin and newcomer Jeff Bridges) are licensed to go deep into their characters.
For a Few Dollars More
Italy’s Sergio Leone spoofed the improbable heroics of the Hollywood western while painting a grimy picture of the Old West more accurately than his American models. Clint Eastwood stars as a bounty hunter of imperturbable cool. The terse dialogue stands in high relief against meaningful glances, pregnant silences and the crack of rifles. Ennio Morricone provided the lonesome-sounding score. The Blu-ray release of this 1965 classic includes audio commentary by film historian Tim Lucas.
